The memorializing of deceased living beings is part of our cultural heritage. Methods for holding the cremated remains of deceased living beings include various types of urns which receive the ashes of the dead. This includes receptacles formed in the shape of a statue, bust or other part of the human figure provided with a recess at the back, head, or other suitable part adapted to be closed by a cover. The recess is a receptacle for the cremated remains. U.S. Pat. No. 232,782 issued Sept. 28, 1880 typifies such an early urn. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,009,724; 2,562,726 and 3,167,844 exemplify other various types of receptacles for the ashes of the deceased.
Various types of indicia disclosing descriptive material related to the deceased living being are found on some of these early urns. Attachments as found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,014 are useful in memorializing the deceased by inscribing indicia onto a casket, vault or the container for the cremation ash product. U.S. Pat. No. 1,940,771 shows a particular type of burial urn having descriptive material concerning the deceased and integrally formed with the urn.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,026 discloses a cremation urn in which the cremated remains of the deceased are placed. The urn structure also includes a readily accessible compartment for holding various memorabilia associated with the deceased.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,434,182 discloses a built-up monument usable in a memorial cemetery. Moldable materials known at the time were available to produce the disclosed object. It is not uncommon to have various types of statues made of the deceased as a particular memorial to the individual. Such statues appear throughout our land as specific memorials to those individuals.
Additionally, other types of memorial images and shaped objects are used to perpetuate the memory of loved ones. For example, the medallion in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,189 includes an embossed or carved face or bust image of a human being surrounded by a decoration portion of the medallion. Such an object may be cast or injection molded.
Although the uses of creation urns, monuments and memorial devices are known as described, none of the prior art configurations constitute a personalized memorial such as in the present invention.